India is set to begin human trials of a new vaccine against HIV virus in January, 2005. The country has over 5.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS and experts saying the number could quadruple by 2010.

India is home to the world's second largest HIV population after South Africa.

Human trials of vaccines against different strains of the virus are already being conducted in the United States, Europe, Africa and South America. The Indian trial will focus on sub-type C of the virus, the most common in the country.

National AIDS Research Institute (NARI) based in Pune is conducting the research. The first phase of testing of the vaccine, named Adeno Associated Virus based HIV sub-type C, will be conducted on about 30 adult volunteers.

India's HIV problem has assumed serious proportions despite health programmes to halt its spread. Over the years, HIV/AIDS has moved beyond traditionally high-risk groups such as homosexuals, commercial sex workers and drug users. Experts say the most alarming trend is the spread of the disease to villages, with rural India accounting for 59 percent of infections compared with 41 percent in cities.

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